OWL Blog

Which browser is best to use for testing? | Why does the recommendation keep changing? Why doesn't OWL support an older version of a certain browser? Why have there been so many issues with Java? What can I do? This article will attempt to answer these important questions.

Using Online Assessments to Manage International Recruiting | Faced with today’s challenging economic climate, recruiters can feel like they are walking a tightrope when it comes to managing the candidate selection process. This is particularly true for international recruiting where there continue to be more applicants applying for fewer openings.

So much emphasis and effort is placed upon flashy presentation and delivery, the adventure. Little thought is given to the data collected, or what I see as the treasure. If collected and stored properly, the data gathered by a test management system is a powerful tool that improves learning and outcomes across an organization. Whether you are trying to improve a student’s ability to speak a language, learn a discipline, or if you are trying to find the right employee for your team or certify a candidate's knowledge; the data is critical to your success. Your ability to look at the data collected over the long term is the key to quantitatively improve your outcomes and reach your goals.

Changing the way you look at the OWL Test Management System | You may think of OWL simply as testing software. And really, why shouldn’t you? After all ‘testing’ is right there in our name. But I want to share with you some of the other creative uses for OWL that just may change the way you view our Test Management System.

Anecdotal evidence supporting the case for testing as a studying tool has been around for years. However, the subject appears to be gaining momentum as a multitude of studies have been published showing a correlation between testing and learning. Some of these studies look at testing and learning in general and give strong evidence that students who practice retrieving information learn more efficiently than those students who employ elaborate study strategies like memorizing, chapter outlining, and concept diagramming.

Ten years ago, the co-founders of OWL Testing Software knew that they were looking at a proposition that could change the face language learning. The small Pittsburgh-based software firm was approached by the world languages coordinator at the largest metropolitan public school district in southwestern Pennsylvania with a request to create a new kind of computer-based assessment tool. They were looking to accomplish more than simply turning their well-worn standardized tests into a computerize document -- simply replacing the pencil with a mouse click.

Time and time again our customers tell us what they like most about OWL Testing Software is it flexibility. Unlike most pre-packaged language learning systems, OWL can be applied to a multitude of language learning scenarios across a variety of organizations. And OWL’s development team is constantly working, in collaboration with our customers and partners, to find even more ways to increase language learning around the world.

Cheating? Everyone Used to Do It! | A discussion of how online testing software can improve testing integrity | Just look up the topic of “cheating on tests” on the internet and you might be surprised find thousands of links—everything from studies showing the widespread prevalence of cheating to tips for students on how to cheat! Most of the methods for cheating have been around for a long time and are well known—such as crib sheets, passing down tests from student to student and year to year, or simply looking on someone else’s paper. Nowadays, students are finding new and unintended uses for modern technology in their quest to pass courses the easy way.

Making the case for climate change reform in a common language | Many think tanks and non-governmental organizations in the United States and Europe wield multi million-dollar budgets with the aim of reducing environmental degradation and climate change on a global scale. Yet very few of these institutions offer materials in the foreign languages spoken by corporate leaders, civil servants, and citizens' groups in countries the expected to make changes in environmental policy.

Should Teachers be Involved in the Testing and Rating Process? | As proficiency testing becomes more widespread in standards-based communicative language programs, the question arises, should a school district or institute of higher learning outsource the rating of student speech and writing samples?